School Trips

several telescope domes in the summer sun

An experience at Bayfordbury Observatory is an exciting way to learn about space beyond the classroom.

We offer a variety of tailored visits to suit different Key Stages and areas of focus, aimed at deepening students' understanding of key Space concepts. Our range of sessions includes pre-designed options for the KS1 and KS2 Space topics and GCSE Astronomy subjects, and we are also happy to customise a session on a specific subject matter upon request.

During each visit, you will enjoy a 2-2.5 hour program, including an interactive astronomy talk, a planetarium show, and a tour of our telescopes, with the possibility of using some of them if weather conditions allow. In daytime visits, there will be the potential to use our solar telescopes and sun spotters, as well as a tour of our general purpose telescopes. Evening visits will have the potential to use our optical telescopes to view the Moon, planets, or nebulae, depending on time of year and time in the Moon's cycle.

Timeslots

Daytime and evening timeslots are available. Please check our calendar before choosing a timeslot to ensure there are no other events happening at your chosen date and time. For daytime visits, please choose a start time between 10am and 2pm. Evening visits are also available, starting any time from 5pm until 7pm. Primary school visits will last 2.5 hours to include time for breaks. For example, a chosen start time of 10am will mean your visit ends at 12.30pm. Secondary school visits will last 2 hours. If you would like extra break time for your secondary school group, please ask. An optional extra 30 minutes is available for lunch on site at an additional cost of £30.